A Few More Minutes with Gabe Schoenfeld

As preface to the second half of our conversation with Gabriel Schoenfeld about his e-book A Bad Day on the Romney Campaign, here’s one passage of the concluding chapter about how the GOP establishment is reflecting on the aftermath of Romney’s loss that is worth taking on board:

The RNC’s quest for better data so that it can have better “messaging” is not a mechanism for leadership. It is a mechanism for following the crowd; it is a mechanism for pandering. There is another notable irony here; the professionals are proposing not only the degradation of deliberative democracy, but also a mechanism for losing race after race. . . Mitt Romney’s fundamental flaw as a politician is that he attempted to please rather than to lead the American people. . .

What we need is a candidate who understands the country and its problems, is knowledgeable about its history, has a vision for the future, doesn’t buy the snake oil that the consultants are peddling, and unabashedly says what he believes. Mitt Romney could have been that candidate. Sadly, this man of so much promise and ability chose a different path.

This second segment is a little over seven minutes long. Needless to say, you owe it to yourself to get a copy. (Among other things, Gabe names names of the guilty among the consultant class around Romney. A decent start for a 2016 Black List if you ask me.)